Ohio History Connection railroad collection in Columbus, Ohio
Rail preservation groupArchive and research collection, not a train exhibit; confirm access with Ohio History Connection
Ohio History Connection keeps a research collection of Ohio railroad history in Columbus, including company records of the Hocking Valley lines and a photograph album documenting railroad construction near a West Broad Street station.
- Hocking Valley railway company records
- 337-photo Columbus construction album
- Online railroad history exhibit
- Searchable archive catalog
- Part of a 50-site statewide network
Ohio History Connection railroad collection at a glance
- Hours
- Check ohiohistory.org for research hours
- Admission
- Check Ohio History Connection for current fees
- Best for
- Researchers, genealogists and serious rail historians
- Best ages
- Teens and adults
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
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Ohio's railroads on paper and film
Ohio History Connection is the statewide history organization behind the Ohio History Center in Columbus and a network of more than 50 museums and historic sites. Alongside its museum objects, it keeps archives, and some of them tell the story of Ohio's railroads through documents and photographs rather than locomotives.
One manuscript collection, MSS 475, holds records of a railway company that began in 1899 after taking title to the Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo Railway Company, with headquarters in Columbus. Another is a photograph album whose 337 numbered images record grade elimination construction near the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station on West Broad Street. The organization's Ohio Memory site adds an online exhibit, All Aboard! Ohio Railroad History, on how the state's rail network grew.
What the collection holds
The railroad material described in the archive catalog is mostly paper and photographs: company records tied to the Hocking Valley lines, and the West Broad Street construction album. These are archival collections, so viewing them is a research visit rather than a walk through a gallery. Check the catalog and Ohio History Connection's research pages for access rules before you go.
Don’t miss
- The West Broad Street construction albumPhotographs numbered 1 to 337 document grade elimination work near the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station in Columbus.
- Hocking Valley railway records (MSS 475)Papers of a Columbus-based railway company formed in 1899, centered on the Hocking Valley and Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo lines.
- All Aboard! Ohio Railroad HistoryAn online exhibit on Ohio Memory that traces early in-state lines and the mid-1850s links, like the Baltimore and Ohio, that tied Ohio to the East Coast.
Better for teens and researchers than toddlers
An archive of railroad papers and photo albums is not a good match for little kids who want to climb on trains. Older students working on history projects may enjoy the online All Aboard! exhibit, and families with young train fans will have more fun at the Ohio Railway Museum in Worthington, about 9 miles away.
Plan your visit: tips for Ohio History Connection railroad collection
- Search the online archive catalog first to find the collections you need.
- Start with the free All Aboard! exhibit on Ohio Memory for background.
- Confirm research access and hours with Ohio History Connection before you travel.
A statewide history organization, with help from donors
Ohio History Connection cares for these records along with a network of more than 50 museums and historic sites. It also issues calls for donations of letters, diaries, organizational records, photographs and oral histories, so families holding old railroad papers or photos can offer them to the collection.
Trains to see in person near Columbus
For real equipment, the Ohio Railway Museum in Worthington is only about 9 miles away. The Buckeye Lake Museum railroad exhibits are about 28 miles east, and the Marion Union Station Association is about 44 miles north. Our list of train museums in Ohio has more.
- Ohio Railway MuseumWorthington, OH · about 9 mi
- Buckeye Lake Museum railroad exhibitsBuckeye Lake, OH · about 28 mi
- Historic South Charleston Railroad DepotSouth Charleston, OH · about 35 mi
- Zanesville & Western Scenic RailroadMount Perry, OH · about 42 mi
- Marion Union Station AssociationMarion, OH · about 44 mi
- Hocking Valley Scenic RailwayNelsonville, OH · about 53 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Old railroad photographs feel a little like looking through a train window into another time. In our book, Rally gazes out an arched window at the ocean and says hello to a white bird, a quiet moment of wonder. My mom imagined that window view long before the book existed. Her story is on our story page.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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Work or volunteer at Ohio History Connection railroad collection?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Ohio History Connection railroad collection: 20 questions
What is the Ohio History Connection railroad collection?
It is a group of archival holdings at Ohio History Connection in Columbus that document Ohio railroad history. They include company records tied to the Hocking Valley lines and a photograph album of railroad construction in Columbus. It is a research collection of papers and photos, not a display of locomotives.
Can I see trains at the Ohio History Connection?
The railroad material in this collection is archival: documents and photographs rather than locomotives or cars. Ohio History Connection does display museum objects at the Ohio History Center and its other sites, but no train exhibit is advertised. For real equipment, the Ohio Railway Museum in Worthington is about 9 miles away.
What is in the Ohio History Connection Hocking Valley collection?
Manuscript collection MSS 475 holds records of a railway company that began in 1899 after acquiring title to the Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo Railway Company, with headquarters in Columbus. Most of the material relates to the Hocking Valley and the Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo Railway Companies, which makes it useful for company and route research.
What does the West Broad Street railroad photo album show?
The album contains photographs numbered 1 to 337 that document grade elimination construction near the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station on West Broad Street in Columbus. Grade elimination projects separated tracks from streets, so the images record how the city's rail landscape changed. The album is listed in Ohio History Connection's online archive catalog.
How do I search the Ohio History Connection archives for railroad records?
Start with the online archive catalog at aspace.ohiohistory.org, which lists collections by subject, including railroad stations in Columbus and railroad management. Each entry has a scope and contents note so you can see what a collection holds before you request it. Then check ohiohistory.org for how to view the material in person.
Is there an online Ohio railroad history exhibit?
Yes. Ohio Memory, the Ohio History Connection's online collections site, has an exhibit called All Aboard! Ohio Railroad History. It explains how early railroads mostly served travel within Ohio and how construction in the mid-1850s, including the Baltimore and Ohio crossing the Appalachians, connected the state to the rest of the country.
Where is the Ohio History Connection?
Ohio History Connection is based in Columbus, where it runs the Ohio History Center. The street address for viewing the railroad archives is not listed here, so check ohiohistory.org for the research location and directions before you go. It also operates more than 50 museums and historic sites around the state.
What are the Ohio History Connection research hours?
Research hours are posted on ohiohistory.org. Archive access often follows a set schedule, so check ohiohistory.org before you travel to Columbus. Searching the online catalog first will help you arrive knowing which collection numbers and photograph albums you want to see.
Does it cost money to use the Ohio History Connection railroad archives?
Fees for research visits and museum admission are not listed here. Ohio History Connection posts its current visitor and research information on ohiohistory.org, so check there before your trip. Browsing the online catalog and the All Aboard! exhibit on Ohio Memory can be done from home.
Is the Ohio History Connection railroad collection good for kids?
It suits teens and adults better than young children. The railroad holdings are documents and photographs viewed as research material, with nothing to climb or ride. Older students may enjoy the All Aboard! online exhibit for school projects, while younger train fans will have more fun at the Ohio Railway Museum in nearby Worthington.
Can I research Columbus railroad stations at Ohio History Connection?
Yes. The archive catalog has a subject heading for photographs of railroad stations in Columbus, which includes the album documenting work near the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station on West Broad Street. Search that subject in the online catalog to see related collections before planning a research visit.
Can I donate old railroad photos or papers to Ohio History Connection?
Ohio History Connection issues calls for collections asking for donations of specific items, such as letters, diaries, organizational records, photographs, video recordings and oral histories. If you have railroad papers or photographs with an Ohio connection, check its museum collections page at ohiohistory.org to learn how to offer them.
Does Ohio History Connection display railroad objects?
Ohio History Connection says a large share of its museum objects is on display at the Ohio History Center in Columbus and at its network of more than 50 museums and historic sites. No specific railroad object is advertised as on display, so check ohiohistory.org or ask staff what is currently out.
What railroads are documented at Ohio History Connection?
Among the collections are records of the Hocking Valley and the Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo Railway Companies, plus photographs tied to the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station in Columbus. The All Aboard! online exhibit also discusses the Baltimore and Ohio and the wider growth of Ohio's rail network.
Is the Ohio History Connection railroad collection wheelchair accessible?
Accessibility details for the research rooms are not listed here. Ohio History Connection posts visitor information on ohiohistory.org, so check there or contact staff before your visit if you need ramps, elevators or other accommodations. Much of the material can also be explored first through the online catalog.
How long does a research visit take at Ohio History Connection?
That depends on how much you want to see. Looking through a single album of 337 photographs could take an hour or more, while working through company records can take days. Searching the online catalog in advance and listing the collections you need will make your time in Columbus more productive.
Is the Ohio History Connection open on weekends?
Weekend hours are not listed here. Museum hours and research room hours can differ, so check ohiohistory.org for the current schedule of both the Ohio History Center and the archives before planning a Saturday or Sunday visit to Columbus.
Can genealogists use the Ohio History Connection railroad records?
Possibly, if a relative worked for one of the companies represented. The Hocking Valley collection is mostly company material, so it may mention people or operations rather than offer personnel files. Read the scope and contents note in the online catalog, then check with Ohio History Connection about what the records include.
What is grade elimination in Columbus railroad history?
Grade elimination was construction that separated railroad tracks from city streets so trains and traffic no longer crossed at the same level. Ohio History Connection holds an album of 337 photographs documenting this kind of work near the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station on West Broad Street in Columbus.
What train museums are near the Ohio History Connection in Columbus?
The Ohio Railway Museum in Worthington is about 9 miles away, the Buckeye Lake Museum railroad exhibits about 28 miles, and the Historic South Charleston Railroad Depot about 35 miles. The Zanesville & Western Scenic Railroad and Mt. Perry Scenic Train are both about 42 miles east, and the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is about 53 miles away.
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